


Forgiveness at Christmas. Can You Imagine?

by Dusty1918



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: F/M, Hamilton inspired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-08
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-09-03 09:04:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8706220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dusty1918/pseuds/Dusty1918
Summary: Peggy and Daniel divorce after the death of their young daughter. But can the deaths of Howard and Maria Stark reunite them?Inspired by "It's Quiet Uptown" from HamiltonDaniel is 74 and Peggy is 70. Their son Carter is 42 and daughter Evelyn is 37.





	

The death of their 9 year old daughter, Maggie, 12 years earlier tore SHIELD Director Peggy Carter and retired Agent Daniel Sousa’s marriage apart. Fights about how much Peggy worked during Maggie’s illness and other long simmering issues eventually led to affairs by both parties, he with a mother from his grief support group and her with Jack Thompson. Following their divorce back in ‘81, Daniel had returned to his native New York while Peggy remained in DC. They were cordial with each other during their encounters over the years: at their older daughter Evie’s wedding and their grandchildren's birthday parties. Everything changes at the funeral of Howard and Maria Stark.

\-----

Saturday, December 21, 1991 - New York City

After the service at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Daniel’s attention is drawn by crying to a side room. He pokes his head in and finds his former wife. 

“Peggy,” he whispers as he sits down next to her, “are you alright?”

She looks up at him with a tear stained face. “Daniel, I cannot believe they are gone.” She collapses against his chest. Her tears seep into his coat. Tentatively, he reaches up to stroke her hair. 

“Me either.”

“Poor Anthony losing them both at once. Thank goodness, he has Mr. Jarvis.”

After several minutes, Peggy’s crying stops and she raises her head with a sniffle. 

Daniel hands her his handkerchief. “Here.”

“Thank you.”

“How about we go and get something to eat?”

“That sounds lovely, Daniel, but I need to go to the reception at the penthouse. I want to see if there is anything I can do for Anthony and the Jarvises. Would you come with me?”

“Anything for you, Peg.” He stands and holds her coat out to her.

\-----

After offering their condolences to Tony and Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis (who were thrilled to see Miss Carter and Chief Sousa together), Peggy and Daniel walk around the city, taking in the Christmas decorations. Eventually, they find themselves at a small Italian restaurant.

“Do you remember that time at Manfredi’s restaurant?,” he asks as he cuts into his veal parmigiana. 

Peggy laughs. “Oh, yes! His grandmother let you eat but I wasn’t allowed because I was. . .”

“The Devil,” they finish at the same time. 

“Do you know what else I remember about that day, Peg?”

She shakes her head with a mouthful of lasagna. 

“I’d followed you into your room at Stark’s so we could talk while you changed. I had to try and keep an even tone while staring at your underthing that were thrown all about. It was worse than when Thompson tricked me into seeing you in your slip.”

“I’ve always had a bad habit of tossing my underthings about.”

Daniel reaches out and takes her hand in his. “Peggy, I’ve missed your underthings.”

Peggy runs her thumb of the back of his hand. “I’ve missed your underthings, too, Daniel.” 

After splitting a piece of tiramisu, they walk back to Peggy’s hotel, The Palace. 

“The Christmas decorations are nice here,” Daniel says as they stand in the lobby. 

“Yes, they are lovely.” She meets his eyes. “Daniel, would you like to come up for a drink?”

“That sounds great, Peggy.”

\-----

“Nice view you have here,” Daniel says as Peggy hands him a drink.

“It is.” Peggy sits down and takes a sip of her drink. She looks down at her hand before looking into his eyes. “Daniel, I’m sorry about working so much while Maggie was sick. I suppose I couldn’t stand to face. . .” Her voice drops off. 

“Losing someone you loved again.” Peggy nods. “I understand. I’m sorry for turning to someone else for comfort.”

“I’m sorry for turning to Jack.” She sets her glass on the table between their chairs. “I’ve stepped back my hours at the office. Assistant Director Fury shows great promise as a worthy successor.”

“That’s great. I remember when he was a new agent.” Daniel swigs the last of his drink and stands. “Well, I should probably get going.”

Peggy stands and walks with him to the door. “Thank you for going with me today to the reception.”

“You are very welcome. As infuriating as Howard was, he was a good man. And I will be forever grateful for the improvements he made to my leg over the years. Goodnight, Peg.” 

He kisses her on the cheek. Their eyes meet as he pulls back. As she had 44 years ago, Peggy places her hands on either side of his neck and crashes her lips into his. A moment later, his crutch crashes to the floor as his hands slip around her waist. They pull back from each other several minutes later. 

“Daniel,” an out of breath Peggy asks, “is this alright?”

“Peggy, I told you I am in this with you til the end. We just took a little break.” He smiles a smile that she returns before rejoining their lips.  


\-----

Some time later, Daniel flops down next to Peggy on the bed.

“Wow, that really is like riding a bicycle!,” he pants. 

Peggy pushes herself up on her elbow to took down at him. With a smile, she says, “though the bicycle creaks more than she use to.”

“And the cyclist is out of practice and breath.” They both laugh.

“Daniel?” Peggy lays down on his chest and his hand starts to rub circles on her back. 

“Hmm?”

“Do you remember our first Christmas together?”

“I sure do. We flew out here so you could meet my family. Stark lent us one of his places. Blizzard came through Christmas Day into the next morning. We were snowed in by ourselves for days because Angie was stuck at her folks in Queens. We survived on Sousa leftovers, food Jarvis left for us, and sex. Lot and lots of sex. I don’t think we got dressed the entire time we were snowed in. It was weeks before you could look Jarvis in the eye because you felt guilty that we did it under the Christmas tree in the lounge.”

“Mmmm. That was a divine trip.” She gives him a peck on the lips before getting out of the bed. “If you will excuse me, I need to visit the loo. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Daniel stretches as Peggy enters the bathroom and closes the door. 

Ring, Ring

Without thinking, he picks up the phone on the nightstand. “Hello?”

“Dad?” Shit, it is their daughter Evelyn. 

“Uh, hi, Evie.”

“Dad, why are you answering the phone in Mum’s hotel room?”

“Well. . .” He looks up and sees Peggy in the bathroom door. ‘Is that Evelyn,” she whispers. He nods. ‘Bugger,’ she whispers as she walks over and sits on the side of the bed. She holds out her hand for the receiver. 

“Hello, Evelyn, how are you this evening?”

“Don’t change the subject, Mum. Why is Dad answering your phone at 9 o’clock at night?”

“If you must know, we ran into each other at Howard and Maria’s funeral and he was kind enough to accompany me to the reception afterwards and to dinner.”

“Must have been some dinner.”

“It was enjoyable. We had Italian.”

“So, does this mean the two of you are back together?”

“We have not had a chance to discuss anything. Please, do us a favor and let us tell Carter.”

“Of course, Mum. Though I am a little disappointed you two couldn't have figured this out a few years ago. Now I owe him $1,000.”

“Did you two bet on your father and I reuniting?!” She sees Daniel’s eyebrows shoot up.

“Sure did. We both knew you couldn’t stay apart. I thought it would be less than 5 years and Carter had 5 to 10 years.”

“Evelyn!”

“Don’t be so shocked, Mum. You and Dad were the ones who taught us to read the horse racing journal section as children. The two of you getting back together was nearly a sure thing. It was just a matter of when.”

“I suppose it really was only a matter of time.” Peggy smiles.

“Not to change the subject because we do need to talk about it more, are you still available for dinner tomorrow night before you head back to DC?”

“Of course, it has been far too long since I have seen you, John, and the boys.”

“Excellant. We will see you then. Tell Dad goodnight for me.”

“I will, darling. Goodnight.” Peggy hangs up the receiver and turns to Daniel. A smile crosses his lips. 

“Our children placed a wager on us?,” he asks.

“Yes, Evelyn owes Carter a $1,000 because it took more than 5 years for us to reunite.”

“Well, we better make it worth the wait.” He pulls her on top of him. Tangling his fingers in her now salt and pepper hair, he kisses her deeply.

\-----

10 days later, on New Year’s Eve, Daniel reproposes to Peggy with the ring he gave her in 1948. They remarry in the Spring of 1992 on the 44th anniversary of their first wedding. Six years later, they have a party to celebrate both their 50th and 6th anniversaries.

**Author's Note:**

> NYC was hit by a blizzard at Christmas 1947. Here are links to a video and some articles about the Blizzard of '47:  
> https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ymj0g0HcOAg  
> http://gothamist.com/2010/12/06/flashback_snowfall_in_new_york_1947.php#photo-1  
> http://time.com/3593070/snow-blizzard-of-1947-photos-of-new-york/  
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_blizzard_of_1947


End file.
